The Rural Futures Institute (RFI) at the University of Nebraska is offering 10 $250 scholarships for rural Nebraska community innovators to attend the 2018 MobileMe&You national conference at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Oct. 26-27, 2018.

The Rural Futures Institute (RFI) at the University of Nebraska is offering 10 $250 scholarships for rural Nebraska community innovators to attend the 2018 MobileMe&You national conference at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Oct. 26-27, 2018.

MobileMe&You, a journalism and technology conference hosted by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications, focuses on new and emerging tools and best practices for storytelling on mobile media. Leading experts and researchers will discuss how to inform and engage new audiences in the mobile era.

“Mobile media are becoming increasingly critical for all aspects of life in rural areas—healthcare, agriculture, entrepreneurship and education,” said Connie Reimers-Hild, RFI Interim Executive Director. “When Professor Kebbel [professor at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications] approached us about recruiting rural community leaders to attend, we jumped at the chance to partner. Our RFI scholarship awardees will certainly learn, but they will also bring extremely valuable and important perspectives to the presenters and other attendees.”

Scholarships will be awarded based on answers to a series of questions around mobile technology use in rural communities and ideas for the future. The application is open today and will close Aug. 31, 2018. Awardees will be announced in late September.

“I think the real key with mobile media is that it reaches everyone, and in particular, those who haven't had the benefit of the super structure that's in the city," Kebbel said. "When the super highway that has 15 lanes does not reach out into rural Nebraska, mobile media do.

"Through mobile media you can get information, deal with medical issues, deal with financial issues, you can conduct your life as if you had the super highway. It's your virtual super highway—it's essential."

For more information, please contact Gary Kebbel at garykebbel@unl.edu.